House of Another Cinderella Story
by smokepelt
Summary: Based off "Another Cinderella Story." After prom/summer break. Fabian is famous, Nina's cousin comes to the school... What will happen with Fabina and the rest? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own HOA or "Another Cinderella Story" (the one with Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley)**

**Needed for next chapter: at least 5 reviews**

Fabian's POV

Over the summer, my father heard me practicing guitar and singing. Because he is a record producer, he immediately brought me to his studio for some tracks.

During the last week of August, the week I was _supposed _to go back to school, my dad told me that I couldn't since I was now famous. I wouldn't have minded if it wasn't for the fact that I never got together with Nina.

And now I wouldn't see her again.

To my surprise, Mum rushed into the room, telling Dad that I _could _in fact go to school. As long as it was _that _particular school, anyway.

"Fabian is a big-time star now!" Dad shouted. "He cannot go to school, where there are potential super-fans. The super-fans are what always end, let me tell you."

"Fabian needs to grow up like a normal teenager!" Mum flashed back. "He has a house filled with friends who will protect him from any such fans. He has Trudy, Victor, _the teachers_. Four girls and three other boys in the house who won't freak out about his being famous. And one in particular who probably wants to see him more than ever after this long break."

Dad sighed, nodding his consent. Grateful, I hugged Mum. "Thank you so much!" I half-whispered, half-exclaimed to her ear.

"Don't let your grades drop," she warned.

"I won't," I promised. _Now I can go see Nina! _I added silently. I headed to my room to finish packing for the next day.

Nina's POV

At first, I was happy my cousin and her friend would be going to the school with me. Now I'm not so sure. She used to think I had to do whatever she said because of my younger age, and apparently she still thinks that. Her best friend only adds to every demand she makes. With them in the school, it would be nearly impossible for me to have any break in my life. At least I got one year out of it.

That reminds me… Fabian and I kissed at prom. I wondered why he never did anything to get together with me. It would have put all of our housemates – not to mention me – out of our misery. I know Amber would _love _it if Fabian and I ever started dating.

With Jessica here though, and her being only a few months older than me, I don't stand a chance.

"Nina!" her call broke me out of my thoughts. "You haven't finished packing for me yet!"

"Coming!" I shouted back. I have two people to pack for: myself and her. _This is going to be a fun year, _I thought.

The next day (still Nina)

Jess made me carry her suitcase, but I expected that. The entire Anubis gang was moved to the Isis House. I knew Isis was the goddess of protection in most of the Egyptian myths, if not all. _I seriously need some protection, _I told myself silently.

Her friend, Malena, was a little bit nicer and decided to carry her own suitcase, considering I had two already. She was more of a follower, wanted to be popular, and being with Jess made her that way. Meanwhile, I was only known as Jess' "pathetic wannabe cousin."

When we reached the house, we found out that there were three rooms for the girls and three for the boys, each room with two people. I counted off in my head: Patricia and Joy; Mara and Amber; Jess and Malena… which left us a room short.

Trudy seemed to be doing the math in her head as well. "I haven't seen the cellar yet," she said when I got back from putting Jess' suitcase in her room. "Maybe you can stay there."

I sighed and followed her down to the basement. The way it was set up, it looked as though it was used a room before. It even had a private bathroom.

"Here you go, sweetie. You can stay in here."

With a nod of acknowledgement, I half-smiled. If I had a room to myself, I would have the chance to get away from everyone if need be.

"Fabian!" I heard Amber shout from upstairs. Sure, everybody noticed the big star and _not_ the one who saved all their lives? Granted, he helped, but… Nothing ever makes sense when these people are involved.

"Did you all just miss me or do you want something?" he asked, part hopeful and part annoyed.

Everybody agreed, "Both."

Footsteps sounded, and I knew they were all going back to their rooms. _Without bothering to ask where I am, or if I'm coming at all, _I realized angrily. I would be Jess' "assistant" (more like servant if you ask me) and probably ignored by all my housemates for two reasons. One: Fabian is a major celebrity, and two: Jess will most likely take the "Queen of Popular" spot. Malena will go along with it, and I'll have no choice but to do the same. I knew I should not think about Fabian like that, being the sweet best friend that he was, but I was worried. When we kissed at prom, I was happy. When I got home, I was anything _but_. And with Joy, Jess, and possibly Malena as competition, I was bound to lose.

**I feel like doing two chapters today so be ready to read the second one once I get it posted! Recently, I've been having some writer's block, so my story might not sound that great for now… Tell me what you think.**

**A/N: This story is in **_**no way **_**related to my other story, "House of Artemis." Just for those who have read that one. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay here's my second chapter. Warning: it might be a little short.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HOA or ACS. **

**Next chapter: 5 reviews.**

Fabian's POV

I saw everyone I was hoping to, except for Nina. _Where is she? _I wondered. I heard an American accent similar to hers and realized it was her cousin, Jessica. I assumed the girl next to her was Malena, her best friend and second-in-command.

"Hey, Trudy," I began after I put my things away. "Have you seen Nina?"

"Yes, sweetie, she's in the basement. We were a room short, and it was already set up like one." She gestured toward the door across from the front door. For the most part, Isis House was exactly like Anubis House, only newer. "She seemed like she really wanted to talk to someone earlier, but…" Trudy shrugged it off.

I walked over and knocked on the door. There was a faint "Come in" from the other side. The cellar was _amazing! _A private bathroom was separated by another door, and the rest of the space had been converted into a bedroom. Compared to what I saw last term with Victor's elixir experiments, this was perfect.

Nina looked up from her book. She shrugged and continued reading. "So there will be one person in the house who doesn't care if I'm famous?" I asked with a laugh.

"I don't care if you're the President of the US. Nothing will change between us."

"What did I do?"

"Nothing," Nina answered simply. She turned the page, repeating, "Absolutely, positively nothing…"

I sat on the edge of her bed. Realization struck, and I recalled what happened before. And then what happened the day after that, the last day we would have in the house…

"I'm not with Joy," I told her. "Never have been, never will be for that matter. She can be as jealous as she wants, but nothing will change the fact that she's my _friend_."

"Okay."

_What is wrong with you? _I thought, knowing something was. Before I could ask, a voice shouted "Nina!" from upstairs.

"Great, now what does she want?" Nina groaned, setting her book on her desk and heading up the steps.

I spun her around to face me before she could leave the cellar. "What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth, but Jess called for her again. "I'll tell you later," she promised, breaking free of my grip.

Nina's POV

Jess had me unpack everything that was in her suitcase and Malena's, putting their sheets on the beds and this and that going here and there. Even though I had to do more for her several times, it was still torture. I knew I had completely blown off Fabian. Well, he was right: I _wasn't _going to care that he was now famous. He could have as many girls fall over him as he wants, and I wouldn't care one bit. I was determined not to. Not after what happened…

-Flashback-

I was meeting up with Fabian before the cab came to take me to the train station, and then the airport…

Joy was in the room with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung tighter every time he tried to pull away. "Why don't you say what you always say to me, Fabes?" she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.

"What do I always say?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"That you love me," she whispered with a glance to where I was standing. She knew I was there when Fabian didn't. "I know you only pitied the scholarship girl because she has a lot less money than the rest of us and that you never meant to kiss her at prom…" Her thumbs smoothed his cheeks, and she smiled. "Why don't you just kiss me, your one-and-only girlfriend, already?"

I had raced silently up the stairs to my room, my heart crushed. They hadn't actually kissed, but it was enough.

-End Flashback-

When Jess dismissed me, I speed-walked to the basement, not wanting to see any of the others. They were traitors to me now. They could say and do what they liked, ridicule me for not going after Fabian when I probably should have, and I would just ignore it all. That was my vow for the year. And it grew stronger every time I was around Jess. I was not about to let her get anything she could use against me.

The good thing about having my room in the basement was that I could lock the door when others couldn't. I slammed it shut, not caring who heard, and quickly locked it. Tears welled up in my eyes and streaked my cheeks. I shoved my face into my pillow, letting out silent cries. My life had always been the worst after almost every family member died, leaving just Gran and the cousins I despised so much. Over the summer Gran also passed away. And now everything would be even worse.

By the time I had calmed down enough, it was time for supper. I asked Trudy to bring me my plate, saying I felt too tired to go upstairs. She did and left me in peace. That was all I wanted – to be left alone.

**Told you it might be a little short. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own anything**

**Thank you all who reviewed before! Sorry for the delay, but I had tons of homework yesterday. By the time I was done, my brain felt fried.**

**Next chapter: 10 reviews**

Amber's POV

I liked Jess. In fact, all of us liked her. Except for Fabian. He seemed interested mostly in the cellar. I found out that Nina was living down there because of the room problem. Every time she says that I can't go in, and I try to open the door anyway, it's locked. She probably thought we were all traitors because we were hanging out with Jess and Malena instead.

Malena is nice, too. She looked like Jess' second-in-charge, and she did not let anyone else rob her of that. I hoped they were this nice to Nina.

I haven't seen the two new boys yet, not even at supper. I guess they haven't gotten here.

Fabian's POV

I was practicing guitar when a heard another shout of "Nina!" Two more followed it, sounding like Malena's and Joy's voices. I did not understand why Joy was with Jess in the first place. When I didn't hear the unmistakable creaking of the stairs, I put my guitar away and headed for the cellar.

"Go away!" was what I got when I knocked on the door. It was locked, too. "I've said this before to all of you – I don't care who you are or why you want me, but I couldn't care less."

She told that to the others, too? Something extremely bad must have happened over the summer. And I probably didn't help matters after I came back yesterday. Nobody but me noticed that she was missing, and nobody really seemed to care. I sighed and knocked again.

The knob spun and the door flew open. Nina looked at me, folding her arms over her chest. "What do you want?" she questioned. There was a hint of anger to her voice.

"For you to tell me what's wrong," I replied pleadingly. "Nina, I know _something _is wrong, and whether or not I did it is what I really want to know."

She sighed. "You'd better come in before the rest of the house gets here. For right now, you're the only one allowed here." I heard her mutter, "Those traitors," under her breath. I chose to ignore it. "Seriously, why are you with me and not the popular crowd?"

"Do you want me to be with them instead?" I shot back.

"Sorry, I guess I got so used to being only known as Jess' cousin and nothing else."

"Based on everything last term, you can be popular, too," I remarked.

"Not when Jess is around," Nina mumbled. "She controls _everything_, including me." She leaned back on her wooden headboard. "The only place I can ever get a break is when I lock myself down here. That's why I'm hidden so much – I don't _want _to be found."

I looked at her, worried. Even when Dad was recording me, I could not stop thinking about what I would say to her when I got back. And now she doesn't want a part in anything anymore. _When she does come upstairs, just pretend you are flirting with Jess or Malena, _I thought. Hopefully my plan would work.

"I'm still here for you," I told her. "I was always there for you during the quest, wasn't I?"

She half-smiled for the first time since (I'm guessing) the prom. "Should I apologize to Amber?"

"Probably not, seeing as how she's been with Jess ever since they got here." I hated doing this to her, but if she wouldn't see the others, what else was I supposed to do? "I especially will not give up on _you_," I quoted.

This made her smile grow wider. Until Jess called from upstairs, anyway. "Every single time," Nina muttered, shaking her head. "I don't want to go up there, but I don't really have a choice." Her shoulders drooped and her smile faded.

Despite my previous idea, I still wanted to help. "I'll come up with you," I offered. "Maybe if I ask, Jess will leave you alone for the night."

"I doubt it, but it's worth a shot," she agreed reluctantly.

I realized this would be the worst time to start my plan. She was close to opening up to me, and I wasn't about to ruin that. I followed her up the wooden steps to Jess and Malena's room. She went right in, but I held back. Rolling her eyes at me, Nina pulled me along with her. I bit back a laugh.

Jess stared at me in disbelief. "I asked for Nina, not the insanely hot celebrity Fabian," she greeted, putting on a flirtatious smile.

I ignored it for the time being. Nina glanced at me. I thought I saw a flicker of jealousy, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. Malena handed her a pile of dirty clothes. I guessed it was because they thought Nina was the only one who could "properly" wash them. We left the room. Once we were at the top of the staircase, Nina gave me half the pile, making sure Jess wasn't watching.

"Thanks for helping," Nina said when the load was done. We had brought it down to her room so she could fold it. "Don't you have a song to write?"

"I've got plenty of time, unlike you," I answered, cringing slightly at the last part.

She tried not to flinch but couldn't help it. "Only because she's a few months older than me, she thinks she has the right to boss me around." I was about to ask when her birthday was when Nina added, "March twentieth."

"If it helps, I'm older than her," I replied. "July seventeenth – ten days away from being an exact year older than you."

"Well, if you try bossing her around, she'll just think it's to let off steam from a hard career as a celebrity. That wouldn't help me." She sat down on her bed and gestured for me to join her. "The truth is, I've been more defensive than angry. It happens a lot when Jess is around to torture me. Back in America, I used to act like I didn't care about anything. My friends knew that and would always comfort me, even if they didn't know exactly what it was about."

"You've also been sad," I observed. "Why?"

"Because Gran passed over the summer," she answered in a whisper. "She got sick the day after my birthday. A few days later, she died in her sleep. I woke up to see her like that." She shuddered. "I had to stay with my cousins for the rest of break, and guess who lived in that house?" I glanced at the door, which was now locked. "She learned about the school here and immediately wanted to come. Her side of the family also has more money than mine, so she could have anything, really. I was glad I got one year without her here."

"Say the word and I'll help." I looked at her alarm clock. "I should probably finish writing that song before I forget. 'Night."

"Night," she replied, getting up to re-lock the door once I left.

The next day; Nina's POV

I actually went up to breakfast this morning. Jerome and Alfie were up to their usual tricks, Amber looked surprised to see me, Patricia wasn't as much, Mick and Mara had gone out training… Joy, Malena, and Jess either stared at me as though ridiculing me or completely ignored me. I took the empty seat at the head of the table next to Fabian, which was my normal seat back at Anubis. He grinned.

"Aw, look – the lovebirds are back together," Jerome remarked jokingly.

Patricia didn't laugh like she usually would. Amber gave Alfie the death stare as warning. I glanced at Fabian.

"Amber caught me coming out of your room last night," he explained quietly. "I had to tell her _something_, and I chose your little confession. She told Patricia, of course. They both promised not to mention it."

We ate breakfast and headed to the school. For once I walked with my friends, not thinking about calling them traitor. Jess and Malena did their best to ignore me. Joy clung onto Fabian like a magnet. I knew he didn't have feelings for her like that, and that he wasn't _my _boyfriend, so I didn't get jealous. We were just best friends – he could date whomever he wanted.

School dragged on with boredom. It was only the beginning of the year, so there wasn't that much to work on. Mostly, we did review work from last year.

When I got back to the house, I changed out of my uniform. As I went upstairs, something inside me told me to brace myself. I ignored the instinct. Worst decision ever. In the living room, I saw…

**I just had to do a cliffhanger! What or who did Nina see? Find out when you get to ten reviews. Hope you all enjoy the suspense for now! ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ooh yay you got 14 reviews! Here's your chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Next chapter: hmm… 20 reviews please.**

Nina's POV

You would think that the first thing I noticed was the girl who pulled me into the living room more, forcing me to watch this. It wasn't.

Joy kept her grip on me. My eyes stayed with the newest potential couple in the house. Malena was on the other side of the room, her gaze flicking from them to me. I stared at them in horror… until I remembered my vow. All the jealousy and anger faded to be replaced by a strange essence of calm.

When Jess and Fabian broke apart, Jess was beaming. Fabian's back was to me so that I couldn't see his expression. My cousin looked up. Her smile changed to a triumphant smirk. Fabian turned around, but I was already out of the room. I had more chores to do for Jess, and there was no reason for me to feel jealous. I kept repeating that vow in my head for the next five to ten minutes, determined not to feel that way ever again. Like I said, there was no reason to.

About a half hour later, Amber knocked on my door. Everyone in the house has a different style of knocking, so I can always tell who it is. I opened it, keeping my calm state for the interrogation that would ensue.

"Nina, you can_not _be telling me that you saw them kissing and you don't even care!" she exclaimed. She gazed around the room. "You have your own TV?"

I simply nodded. To both.

"Why don't you care? I know you really like Fabian. Last term you were always so worried that Patricia was with him!" She gave a little huff.

"Amber, I can't get too emotional over things when Jess is around. Besides, if he really likes her…" I hesitated slightly, but she didn't notice. "I'm cool with it."

"Malena asked if she could talk to you privately, you know. She seemed upset or concerned about something. I don't think she would give you more chores if Jess doesn't know about it."

I knew Jerome would have cut off Amber at "I don't think," and I shook my head with a mischievous half-grin. "Send her down when you leave," I ordered. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

"Yeah… you have a cool room." With that, she left.

Remembering Malena was coming right before I relocked the door, I walked over to my bed and sat down. She knocked and came in. "Amber said I should talk to you," she explained. I nodded and motioned for her to sit in my desk chair. "I know we haven't gotten to know each other really well, but I wanted to apologize for everything I did under Jess' watch. I really wanted to be popular; now I know that wasn't the way to get it. And… I'm really, truly sorry."

Surprise coursed through me. Did Jess' best friend just say _sorry _to her pathetic little cousin? Did the second-in-command just _apologize _for the things she made that cousin do? I did everything I could not to gape at her. It was an offering to make peace between us. "One thing though," I began. "Why do you suddenly want to apologize to me?"

"I overheard Fabian, Patricia, and Amber talking earlier and found out that you were pretty popular yourself last year. Then I realized everything that you've gone through in life and decided against all my harsh ways."

"Sorry, something else just came to mind. Are they dating?" It was a somewhat stupid question, but I needed to know even if I wouldn't be jealous. Malena shook her head. "They will be soon," I guessed.

"Actually, Fabian really likes you, Nina," she told me. I had heard that a million times from everyone else, so why wasn't I ready to believe it? "After you left, he told Jess that he was interested in someone else. Joy looked hopeful, but then he said that it was _definitely _not her. And I quote the exact emphasis he put on that word."

The last part made us both laugh. "We could be really good friends if you weren't with Jess all the time," I realized. The offer was a bit farfetched, but it was true nonetheless.

"I know." She sighed. "Now it's either be her friend or be dissed."

"Maybe I can help you out of that. But that would require trusting the other girls, and I really don't want to. I barely trust Amber anymore, and she was my roommate for most of last year. And I just started to trust Fabian before…" I felt no sadness, even though the tone of my voice implied it.

"And maybe I can help you get Fabian back," Malena offered. "Jess really doesn't deserve somebody like him, whether or not she's ready to admit it. Anyway, she's a player. Fabian doesn't need that."

A plan started forming in my head. "Find Amber and tell her I need her. You have to stay down here too – this could be important later on." I thought for a moment. "After dinner, though."

"Kay," she replied. "Just brace yourself for any interrogations or taunts."

"I'm used to it by now," I muttered as she left. The sad thing was that it was too true.

Amber's POV

Oh. My. God. Nina has a plan, and I _know _it will be used in the act of getting Fabian back. Supper dragged on amidst my growing excitement. If Fabina still lived on, I needed to make it show! After all, I _was _the matchmaker of the house. And even though Jess used to be nice, ever since her kiss with him she went all protective. None of us girls could glance at him without getting killed, much less talk to him. The only one she trusted now was Joy, but that was because Joy knew what Fabian liked.

According to my "matchmaker instincts," Jess is a player, Joy still really likes Fabian, and Nina seriously wants to get Jess. If the revenge scheme wasn't for winning Fabes back, it would be for all the horrible stuff Jess made her do.

I was totally ready to help.

Malena's POV

Nina's idea was _brilliant_. "That's perfect!" squealed Amber. I nodded my agreement.

"Really?" she asked, setting down her notebook.

"I'll get Mara to check with Mr. Sweet when the show will be this year," Amber promised, keeping her side of the plan.

"And I'll make sure Jess lays off for a while," I chimed in.

Nina smiled. "Thank you both. Now, before Fabian comes down for his little apologizing session, you should probably get out of here. Even if he doesn't know I know, he'll visit for something."

Amber and I shared a knowing look. The plan was genius and would soon be set in motion. Jess and Fabian really weren't an item, and neither were Joy and Fabian. Nina could pretend not to care, and we'd go along with it, but we all knew she was not-so-secretly in love with him. And he was not-so-secretly in love with her, too.

Nina's POV

Malena and Amber just left. Thank God! I had started getting ideas for a new song (yes, I write songs), but I didn't want to jot them down while they were in the room.

The door opened a few minutes later. Fabian poked his head in. "May I come down?" he asked from the top of eight stairs.

I slipped the notebook between my bed and the wall before he could notice. With a nod from me, he walked over. "What's up?" I asked, hanging my head over the side of my bed. I tried not to laugh at how the room looked upside-down.

"Me, I'm guessing," he laughed, standing over me and looking down.

I smiled and rolled over, sitting up slowly so the blood has enough time to return to normal. No headaches. Good. Then I remembered what happened earlier, and my smile faded. When Fabian gave me the "What's wrong?" look, I turned away to look at the wall.

This would be a hard conversation.

**Thank you all who reviewed! I'm very proud of the progress of this story. Hopefully it will get even better as time goes on.**

**BTW, I know one part of this was very anti-Cinderella… I still needed to put that in, though. It'll be important later.**


	5. Chapter 5

**TICKLES3000, I know there hasn't been much Cinderella recently but when Nina ignores Fabian, in the movie Mary ignores Joey (aka Selena ignores Drew). I am trying to add more but it's kind of hard to think straight with the state testing and finals coming up.**

**Disclaimer: Why don't I let the star do it?**

**Fabian: Chey does not own HOA or ACS**

**Chey: Thanks, Fabian. And thanks to all my readers for their reviews!**

Nina's POV

Even though Fabian was still in the room, I was suddenly thrown into a daydream of me in a music video. I used to dream about being in one with my mom, who was always the best singer and dancer in my opinion. Others agreed, but she used to say that I was the only important one. My father was her manager, and they brought me on tour all the time. During the school year, I mostly stayed with Gran, though. Then they both died in the car crash.

This daydream was more realistic. It was playing one of the songs I wrote in the background. I had backup singers and dancers and a spotlight – everything. Just when I thought it was over, another scene took its place. This one was of me and him, dancing as if there was no one around even though people circled us. It was obvious he could not recognize _me _under the mask.

"Nina?" I broke out of the trance and stared at Fabian. His hand dropped to his side, no longer needing to be waved in front of my face. "Are you okay?" Again, I ignored him. He sighed. "I wish you would tell me what's wrong."

"How about the fact that you don't treat me like a friend anymore… do you think that would have something to do with it?" I flashed back. "You and everyone else around here have started to treat me like the pathetic cousin I'm known for back home. I never used to take it there, and I'm certainly not going to take it here. The one way I did was…" I stopped myself in time. I almost blurted out the fact that I was a singer and dancer like my mom. Not famous, but still just as good.

"I have a feeling you won't finish that sentence," he assumed.

Jess called from upstairs for me. I groaned. "Why don't you hang out with your new girlfriend while I do the chores she's about to assign?" I muttered through gritted teeth. Fabian seemed taken aback.

When I got to her room, Malena had a list that I needed to complete before curfew. Fabian put his arm around Jess, but only when I glared. Jess looked very pleased with herself and happy to finally be dating a celebrity – especially when I liked that celebrity and she knew it. Malena kept her smirk, but only because Jess was in the room. I understood that.

"You should probably get started on those so you have enough time," Jess scoffed.

I shot her a glare and walked out of the room. Amber, Mara, and Patricia were coming upstairs to get ready for bed early. Joy shoved me out of the way and went into the room. I heard loud snickers behind me.

It was nearly ten when I finished. Victor had retired, so he wasn't there to remind me. Amber suddenly squealed, rushing into the living room. "Everybody come down here now!" she screamed. Surprisingly, they all listened. I was already there and they joined us. "I just remembered that there will be a costume ball next week!" she shouted happily, forgetting that we were sitting or standing next to her.

Jess looked at Fabian. He nodded slowly, and I thought I sensed reluctance. Alfie glanced at Amber but kept his talk with Jerome. I caught Jerome stealing a glance at Mara, who was excitedly conversing with Mick. Joy and Malena almost fell over Fabian when he agreed to go with Jess. None of her friends could ever resist being jealous. Patricia looked like she wanted to gag, and I could agree with her there.

The next day (still Nina)

I hated how many couples there were in this house. Two new boys just arrived today, so there should be two more couples by the end of the week. It's like they are trying to throw my unfortunate life back in my face. Malena and Aaron were inseparable the moment they met. If it's out of friendship, I seriously need to apologize to them. Patricia seems to like the other newbie, Brandon.

Let's see… there are Patricia and Brandon; Malena and Aaron; Mick and Mara; Alfie and Amber; and Jess and Fabian. That means Joy, Jerome, and I have no one to call boyfriend or girlfriend. That's just sad. Although, I have noticed Jerome glancing at Jess more than he has Mara. A new couple there? That would leave Fabian single, but… After what I've seen, he doesn't care about me the way I thought he did. Just. Plain. …Uh, actually, it's ordinary for me. I had such a pathetic life, and now it followed me to England. Even being the chosen one had its downsides.

Fabian decided he would ignore me in the way I've been ignoring him. Truthfully I thought he would do that _ages _ago. Remember, he's with Jess, and I'm only her cousin. Most of the time people don't even recall who I am until Jess is mentioned as well.

One thing, though: _How in the world do you forget who the chosen one is? _The question rang in my head like a siren. Well, apparently it is very possible. At least in my case.

"Nina, aren't you excited for the costume ball?" Amber asked.

I slumped down against my headboard. "I'm not going," I answered flatly. There was no reason for me to go, and I guessed that Jess would give me even _more _chores to make sure I stayed out of the way. She knew I could dance, even if she didn't know I could dance _way _better than she could – better than anyone could, according to my mom. Mom was always better, though… I pushed away the sharp memory of her.

"But why?" she whined. "I was looking forward to picking out your dress and doing your hair and makeup!"

I tried not to glare. "Amber, get this into your head. I. Am. Not. Going. Do you understand?" She pouted. "Besides, I would have nobody to go with," I added, knowing she would need a reason to drop the matter.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. "We could find you someone in no time!" she exclaimed, returning to her cheerful self. "A lot of guys want to go out with you, Nins. You just haven't realized it!"

"Stop calling me 'Nins.' That's not my name, and it never will be." I was becoming more defensive because sadness and grief crept through me, despite the promise I made. "Fabian obviously doesn't want me, you've been too busy with Alfie to notice me, and the others are all with their friends or dates."

"Aw, Nina," she cooed. "If you'd let me help, I'm sure you'll realize just how much Fabian _does _like you. Other boys do, too, but they can all see that you two match each other perfectly!"

Blush warmed my cheeks. I quickly forced myself to act like the nonchalant girl I had created for myself. New ideas were forming for a song, but if only Amber would leave! Thankfully, Alfie called for her upstairs. It was Saturday, and Jess hadn't given me any chores to do.

"Nina!" she screamed.

Great. Spoke too soon. "Coming!" I shouted. I climbed to the top of the stairs to see the usual group: Jess, Malena, Joy, and Fabian. Yes, Fabian had joined them. He handed me the list for once. "How am I supposed to know where Trudy keeps the vacuum?" I queried, my eyes grazing over Jess' handwriting.

"Ask her," Jess replied slowly, as though I should've known that. Truth was, I _did _know. I just like annoying her. "Now, get going. I want you to help me pick out an outfit later!" She sneered, thinking I didn't have the sense of fashion I should've. "I need to look my best for Fabey."

Trudy helped me, and I did the chores in under an hour. I could hear Fabian strumming away on his guitar – I did all I could not to dance or hum to it. It was really hard because it sounded oddly similar to one of the songs I wrote. I raced down to my room and locked the door out of habit. Quickly grabbing my song book, I flipped to one of the pages. It was written to be a duet, since I wrote it when I was both happy and angry at Fabian. It was _too _similar for me. And held too many memories.

I threw the book down onto my desk. Once a person becomes popular or famous, even though they were both technically the same, he or she also becomes very ignorant of the "little people." Mom was one who was different. She cared about everyone – famous or not – wealthy or poor. Tears welled up in my eyes when I remembered her. She and Dad were always there for me… and Fabian used to be, too. Till he changed for the worse.

I suddenly remembered Jess, and the outfit she needed help picking out. I was sure it was a trick. So I ignored her calls. Even when she tried knocking down my door, I ignored her. The door would not budge. Not even a little tremor could be sent through it.

About another hour later, Fabian was outside. "Nina, please, I really need to talk to you. Just you and me, I promise."

"Go away!" I retorted. "I hate you, Fabian Rutter!"

"Y-you… don't mean th-that," he stammered. Confusion weighed his voice. There was something underneath it… regret?

"Yes, I do," I replied angrily, my teeth gritted. "You're with Jess. Everybody else has their boyfriend or girlfriend or entire _group _of friends. I hate them for turning their backs, but I have more reasons to hate _you_, Fabian."

Footsteps sounded as he headed back to his room. I fought back the urge to cry. If he wanted to apologize and make everything okay like he always did, I blew my chance. Completely and utterly blew it.

**Yep, I'm that mean. No, joking! I'll make it a lot better for Nina later on, and hopefully I'll add a bit more Cinderella to it. It is **_**based off **_**the movie, not entirely using it. But I do need some more of it in there.**

**Please get 25 reviews for the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Next chapter: 35 reviews! ;)**

**Thank you everyone for all the reviews!**

Fabian's POV

I cannot believe Nina Martin really just said that. She would never really mean that… would she? I guessed I _have _been neglecting her, just like the others. I can see what she meant by that. But to say that she _hates _me…? That is so out of character for her. I wished I could go back in time and change everything. The one thing I would keep was the kiss at prom. The events that led up to it were somewhat perfect, but what happened after made everything go downhill. I wished Joy had never liked me and that she had never tried to kiss me when she knew Nina was there the entire time.

Jess was such a player. That much showed every time she was around me. She was using me to get a more solid spot in popularity or fame. I hated the way she pushed Nina around and made her do _everything_.

Nina was definitely going through a rough time. Amber told me she even denied an offer for Amber to help her get ready for the ball – Amber being the fashion queen that she was. Nina was usually so kind and sweet…

The one thing I especially hated was that she thought I was dating Jess because of who she was. Truthfully, I wanted to get closer to Nina, and my idea to do that was to flirt with Jess. I was surprised to see she did not notice I cast glances at her every so often to make sure she knew I was still on her side. She thought that her housemates had turned against her in favor of Jess when we hadn't. We wanted her to forgive us, even Jerome. Brandon and Aaron had not done anything, and suddenly they were thrown with the rest of us.

I was never going to give up on her. She was my everything. If my father agrees, and he probably will, I'm going to write a song about her – us – to show I truly wanted her forgiveness. I needed to prove I still love her.

Nina's POV

I wished I could show Fabian I never meant those words. They were the exact opposite of the ones I wanted to say. What I hated was the fact that I was so angered from everything that I actually snapped at him. I would go upstairs and tell him why, but Jess is probably there. Or they're already on their date, happy and away from me. Fabian… Fabian never would've done that to me, no matter how mad he got.

I flipped through the pages of my song book again, rereading the one duet. I could easily fit it into the situation now. Jess or Joy would probably steal him before I even have the chance. Those two are my single competition in the game of love. I thought Fabian would recognize Jess as a player by now, but he didn't. Or he's just acting like he didn't, which is still just as bad.

Jerome and Alfie had been planning a prank earlier in the day, but I stopped them. I'm not sure if they only switched their plans from Fabian and me to someone else, but as long as it wasn't me. I had too much to worry about already without them getting involved.

Amidst my thoughts, I didn't hear the knock on my door until the second time. It was Brandon. I stashed away the book and sat up, leaning on my headboard like always.

"Hey, Nina," he greeted, uncertainty ringing in his voice.

"Hi," I responded. "What's up?"

He sat down in my desk chair. "I know Patricia likes me, and I really like her too, but I don't know if I should ask her to the ball next week." Worry battled curiosity in his dark sapphire-blue eyes.

A sudden image of Fabian's green eyes flashed in my mind, but I quickly pushed it away. I did not need to remember what I could have had if I hadn't messed up so badly – and that was from telling Jess about the boarding school, not saying what I did to Fabian. "Definitely," I replied. "She'd love that, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Nina." He sounded relieved now. "I would've asked the other girls, but…" He trailed off.

"They would've attacked you," I concluded. "Yeah, I learned all about that last year." I shook my head, biting back a laugh. "Those girls can be pretty psycho sometimes, but in the best of ways."

He got up and left, more confident than he was before. I was proud of myself for actually helping somebody instead of being forced to "help." If Mom or Dad or Gran were here, I'd spill everything to them and let myself break down. But they're not. They've moved on to wherever the spirits of dead people go.

I would ordinarily talk to Fabian, but obviously I couldn't do that now. I wanted him to comfort me the way he used to, tell me everything would turn out okay. He was one of them, though – completely oblivious to me unless I was being ordered around. Like I said, he had turned for the worst.

We had dinner. There were no food fights, surprisingly. I returned to my room and instinctively locked the door. It was a habit of mine now.

My dream was _perfect_. Fabian and I finally got together, I had several songs recorded with his father, and our duet was Number One on the charts. Joy and Jess weren't an issue.

The day before the ball (still Nina)

It's been almost a week. The ball is tomorrow. Unknown to everybody except Amber, I _am _going there. The only reason why is that my mask will prevent them all from recognizing me.

"You are going to look so beautiful," Amber commented, looking at my dress. "I get to do your hair, right?"

I laughed. "Yes, of course, Amber."

"Yay!" she squealed. "I'm _so _glad you're going! Every guy is going to want to dance with you, but I know of only one who you'll agree with." She put on a sly smile. "He really wants to go with you and not Jess."

"No he doesn't," I responded. Remorse surged through me. Every time he tried to make it up to me, I kept pushing him away. "He doesn't," I repeated to myself.

"C'mon, Nins, you _know _he does. Why won't you admit it?"

"If I admit it, will you stop harassing me about it?" I made sure my voice was light to prove I meant it as a joke. She giggled, nodding. "Thanks, Ambs," I added. "I really owe you if we dance tomorrow."

"Just let me know ASAP if Fabina is back!" she exclaimed.

Tomorrow would be interesting.

**That's where I'm going to end it for now because the next chapter will be the ball! I've got major Cinderella plans for that. Please get 35 for it! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own HOA! Yay! No, actually, I don't… :'(**

**Sorry it took me so long to update this one; I was planning the ball. Here it is!**

Nina's POV

Amber had actually done it. I mean, I had confidence in her from the start, but _still_. I loved what she did to me. My dress looked perfect, my mask was a perfect match, and even her makeup was perfect. Wow, lots of perfection… thanks Ambs!

"Okay, we have to be fashionably late," Amber reminded me.

"Well, considering we were supposed to leave ten minutes ago," I laughed. I gazed at myself in the mirror, stunned that I was the same person.

"You look so amazing!" she exclaimed for billionth time.

"Let's go," I replied, leading her upstairs.

(At ball)

I tried not to cringe when I saw everybody looking at us. The guys' mouths gaped slightly while the girls simply looked jealous. Amber had on a dazzling golden strapless dress and golden-silver mask. I had a devil-red dress with one thick strap and one thin (like Amber's at prom) and matching mask. Amber put on rosy-red makeup where my skin showed around the eyes. (Yep, I was all red.) There were tiny golden glitters in my mask and makeup, so they turned slightly golden when I walked into one of the spotlights that lit up the ballroom floor.

"I can't believe you and Mara managed to rent this place for the night," I whispered to Amber.

"Believe it," she whispered back. Then her eyes widened, and she pushed away from her.

I almost collided with Fabian. Despite his mask, I recognized him easily. A smile edged its way onto his face and was mirrored on mine. He steadied with a gentle hand on my shoulder. Blush warmed my cheeks.

"Care to dance?" he asked quietly. I glanced over at a jealous-looking Jess. "Don't worry about her," he murmured, taking my hand.

_What happened to the shy boy I used to know? _I wondered silently. I gave the DJ – Jerome in this case – my iPod. He turned on a tango.

Fabian was impressed by how well I danced. In fact, so was I. I hadn't danced in so long! "You're amazing," he mumbled to my ear, sending chills down my back. I smiled in reply, afraid that if I talked he would recognize me. "Who are you anyway?" he queried uncertainly.

Suddenly, a spark appeared from one of the walls, turning into a fast blaze. I heard the words _"Go Nina!" _in the slight roar and knew it was sent to keep my identity a secret. Even though I wanted to dance with Fabian more, I understood I had to leave fast. This provided the perfect distraction. Taking my iPod from Jerome without his noticing, I raced from the ballroom, heading for home.

Fabian's POV

Just as quickly as it started, the fire vanished. I looked around for the mystery girl to see that she was gone. _Damn it! _I thought angrily. _I haven't felt like this since I first met Nina… like I needed that girl in my life… _I spotted an iPod on the floor; it was the iPod _she _dropped. I picked it up, tracing it with my index finger carefully.

Jess stomped over. "Who were you dancing with?" she demanded.

"Enough Jess!" I exclaimed furiously. "You know I was only using you to make Nina jealous, and you agreed because you got the pleasure of saying you were a celebrity's girl. Well, I'm done with all that. I need to find out who the girl was, and I need to apologize to Nina."

"Fine!" she shot back. Joy followed her out in a dramatic fashion.

I rolled my eyes. "Malena!" I called before she could leave. She turned to me. "Do you know whose iPod this is?"

"Sorry," she answered, shaking her head. "I have no clue."

My twinge of hope faded. Amber would know, but then she would want to know all the little details about the "new relationship" I have. I only wanted to know who the girl was, not be harassed by the matchmaker of all time (her words not mine).

When I went to bed after getting back from the ball, I could not stop thinking about the girl. Nina kept flashing into my mind, but she said she would be resting after doing her chores for Jess. Still, I knew she could have been anybody, including Nina.

The only clue I had was the iPod.

**That seems like a good place to end. So, whatcha think? Please get 50 reviews for the next chapter! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you again for the reviews! Let's try for 60 this time, 'kay?**

**And a reply to sky651's review: It's just the way the movie goes. Fabian can't recognize Nina, and he thinks she can't dance nearly as well as his "mystery girl" did.**

**Remember, I own nothing.**

Nina's POV

Surprise, surprise – everyone was raving about the girl Fabian danced with. It's all over the school by now. I would be talking with them if I didn't know who she was… but since I was that girl, I wasn't about to say that. He even went on the intercom for an announcement (I bet I know why Mr. Sweet allowed it). Everyone wanted to know who she was and whether or not Fabian and 'she' were dating. I almost blushed when I heard that in some conversation.

By the end of the day, Fabian looked frustrated. I walked with Amber back to the house.

"You should tell him, Nina!" she begged.

"Somehow I'll manage to make a complete fool of myself, like I did last year one time when he was trying to ask me out. I'm not going through that again no matter what, especially with Jess here. She claims to know every little secret about me, and she can use that as blackmail. There's no way I can tell Fabian with all these issues."

Jess and Joy walked up to me. "Whatever you do, stay out of my way," my cousin warned. Joy scowled at me.

Amber convinced me to tell him once we got back to the house. She practically skipped the rest of the way there, causing me to giggle.

I knocked on his door, waiting patiently for some response. There was a faint "come in," and I walked inside. Fabian looked surprised but still seemed a little expectant. "Fabian, I –" I began, only to be cut off.

"You came to tell me that Jess wants me back and that if I don't take her Joy is also waiting, right?" he interrupted. "Just tell them I don't want them right now. I have to find out who I danced with."

Shock and hurt coursed through me. I played along (my lying always seemed to be better when Jess was around) and headed back downstairs. Amber waited for me on the staircase. She closed the basement door behind us. I flopped down onto my bed. "I told you it would be pointless," I cried.

Amber gave me a sympathetic look. "Fabian's just a jerk," she replied. "He doesn't deserve you because you're so much better than him."

Wow. This coming from the girl who wanted us together since she first found out I liked him. It's just incredible. "Don't smack him or anything, though, okay?" I ordered. An idea was forming in my subconscious.

"Sure, whatever," she replied, trying not to pout.

"Now, I'm not trying to be rude, but could you please leave?" When she did, I swiftly jotted down my idea so as not to forget. "Amber and Mara are also holding a party tomorrow," I muttered to no one in particular. "If I can get Fabian outside long enough while everyone is inside, I can tell him without a problem."

Footsteps sounded behind me, and a pair of hands suddenly covered my eyes. I quickly slipped the paper into my desk drawer. "Guess who?"

I granted him a laugh. "Don't try this, Fabian, especially after you snapped at me," I responded.

He sat on the edge of my bed. I turned to face him. "Sorry about that," he said, running his hand through his hair in a sure sign of nervousness.

"A warning to you though: Amber might try to kill you later."

"You told her, didn't you?"

I glanced sideways, away from his dark green gaze. "I'm still mad at you," I whispered.

His fingers cupped my chin and made me face him again. "Are you?"

With a frown, I pulled away. "Stop," I pleaded. He shrugged. "Are you going to the party tomorrow?"

"I don't think I have much of a choice for two reasons." He held up one finger for each. "One, Amber would kill me if I wasn't there, regardless of what happened today. And two, it's being held here." He looked at the door that led to the main hall. "Sometimes I wish I could just be normal again," he mumbled. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hear him, so I waited for him to continue. "That crazy blonde says the party is half congratulatory for me and half 'welcome back' for all the others who are coming, even with the ball."

"Did you even want your dad to hear you?" I questioned.

"No, and I'm surprised he did. I was always so careful to make sure he didn't…" Fabian trailed off. "I should probably get started on homework," he said after a while, breaking the silence. "See you later, Nina."

The next day (at the party)

Mara and I agreed to help put out the snacks. I was refilling the bowl of chips when I heard a familiar voice coming from the TV. _No, no, oh God no! _I thought. Tears welled in my eyes when I saw Jess and Joy laughing. A few other students joined them. The rest of my housemates looked to where I was just standing, but I was already out the door.

"Nina, wait!" someone called after me.

I hid in a dark clearing. My shirt and jeans actually hid the dress I wore at the ball; I took them off. A sharp breeze chilled me to the bone, but I didn't care. The dress reminded me of something that really made me happy. I returned to the house and stood outside the back door, knowing Fabian would want to get away from everyone this way.

Sure enough, he opened the door a few minutes later. "Nina?" he inquired. Disbelief weighed his voice.

"I'm the one you danced with, okay? But I don't need your charity, so just save your breath." I turned away.

He grabbed my arm to prevent me from leaving. "Nina, honoring your parents on the day they died isn't something to be embarrassed about. You were young, and you hadn't fully developed a singing voice. Don't let Jess get the upper hand." He paused, obviously thinking about his next words. "I really like you, Nina. Will you go out with me?"

My jaw dropped slightly. I blinked, letting the words soak in. "Yes," I answered.

Twin smiles appeared on our faces. Fabian reached inside his pocket, handing me back my iPod. "I believe this is yours," he laughed.

"Don't make fun of me for dropping it," I scolded, my tone light. We walked back inside hand-in-hand. The rest of the night (unlike many others) passed by in total happiness.

The day after that

I screamed when I saw the mail. I bolted into the dining room, where everybody was seated for breakfast. Fabian stared at me, a grin spreading across his face. The rest just looked surprised.

Jerome was the first to speak up. "What happened, Speedy?" he joked.

Holding up the letter, I couldn't stop beaming. "I was one of fifteen to be accepted for an audition to get into the Manhattan Academy of Performing Arts!" I exclaimed. Alfie pretended to not know what that meant. "It's in the U.S.," I added, rolling my eyes.

Amber squealed with excitement; Patricia rolled her eyes like I did at the blonde; Mara flashed a smile; Mick got up for a morning run; Jerome started laughing after my comment to Alfie; Alfie joined in the laughter; Malena, Brandon, and Aaron helped Trudy with the rest of the table-setting; and Jess and Joy scowled at me. I grabbed Fabian's wrist and led him to his room.

He sat on his bed with a laugh. "You're really excited about this, aren't you?"

I gave him the _that-was-a-stupid-question _look. "Duh!" I answered, excitement still bubbling in my veins.

Chuckling to himself, he stood up and hugged me. "I told you that you could do it," he repeated.

"Yeah, well," I responded in a modest tone.

"Do you need help practicing?" he offered.

My smile grew wider. "Please," I agreed. "I know I'm good, but I need to be better if I want to get in to Manhattan!" He shook his head. "Do you expect me to get in on talent alone?" I challenged lightly.

"Well, you have enough for it," he shot back, grinning still. "But no, you need to practice. Even I would have to."

"You're already famous!" I responded. "C'mon, we should go eat."

**I'd add more, but this seems like a good spot to end for now. Will Manhattan accept her? **

**Spoiler: Coming up in later chapters: romance, breakups, rejects, acceptances, love, and hatred! (Confusing, isn't it?)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Trying for 65 this time! Yay! I own nothing (only downside to this…)**

**A/N: One side of my family likes a country singer called George Strait, and one song made me think of the whole Fabina drama I have going on. Hope you like it later. (It wasn't used in the movie.)**

Nina's POV

I stared at Fabian as he strummed his guitar. My heart was still beating fast from when we practiced; we only ended four minutes ago. He looked up. "Nina, want to hear a song I was writing over the summer? I kind of added to it while you were mad at me." I nodded. "Just remember it was when we were away from each other and not written right now." I raised an eyebrow, impatience and curiosity growing by the second. He laughed. "Okay, okay."

"_Everyday's a lifetime without you_

_Hard to get through_

_Since you've gone_

_So I do the only thing I know how to_

_To get by_

_I'm living for the night_

_I've drawn all the curtains in this old house_

_To keep the sun out_

_And off of my face_

_Friends stop by to check in 'cause I checked out_

_I tell 'em I'm fine_

_I'm just living for the night_

_Daylight can't hide the tears I cry_

_The pain that came with your goodbye_

_The memories that keep me out of sight_

_Every night I venture out into those neon arms that hold me tight_

_I'm just living for the night_

…_Everyday's a lifetime without you."_

I sensed it had more meaning behind it, as though he had been thinking about what my family was like without my parents in it when mostly everybody had theirs. He was wondering what I would be doing while in America, away from him and all my BBFs. Yep, I could tell all that from the song. I smiled once I processed all those thoughts.

He smiled back. "My dad's hosting a contest for someone to join me in a music video. You should enter."

"Definitely," I responded. "Don't you have homework to finish?"

"I've got the rest of the weekend, and I need to decide on one of the songs I wrote to give to Dad."

"Really?" I joked. "You should do that one. It's beautiful." I paused, gazing into his dark green eyes.

"I should probably call him to let him know," Fabian said, his gaze still boring into mine. He turned away and headed upstairs.

I giggled slightly. No matter what, he was still shy around me. He could hide it for a day or two before it showed through once more. I grinned and took out my own songs and guitar.

About an hour later, a knock came on my door. I opened it, seeing a single rose with a note attached. _Nina, sorry for my haste earlier. Meet me in my room later. Fabian. _My eyes grazed over the neat calligraphy. He never stopped with his surprises for me.

Another three hours passed. I headed up to his room, happiness flooding through me. It was quickly extinguished. Joy was with him – go figure. I did not cry (I refused to do that) as I speed-walked back to my basement. I had dropped the flower outside his door. _Roses don't only mean love, _I reminded myself. _In some cultures they mean treachery. _I looked at the duet again. It started as a fast song and died down into a "real" duet. Once more I felt it was perfect for our so-called friendship and dating status. Every time I turned around I was being hurt one way or the next, and I was sick of it.

Jess came down several minutes later. I realized I forgot to lock the door. "What do you want?" I asked, glaring at her.

"I heard from Joy about her and Fabian," she sympathized. "Nina, if he's going to break one heart after another, you don't need to put yourself through that. He can't see what girls can do."

"And why are you comforting me?" I pressed, suspicious.

"Just thought I'd try," she answered. "Oh, and Manhattan called. They had my cell as a backup in case they couldn't reach you. You won't need that audition."

My spirits fell even more. "They rejected me, didn't they?" She nodded slowly and left on that note. I threw my songbook on the floor, frustrated. Just when I thought my life was getting better, it took a turn for the worst again. "Damn it," I cursed under my breath.

Tomorrow; Fabian's POV

_Why is Nina mad at me? _I wondered silently. "Hey, Nina, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked, motioning toward the hall. She gave me a cold look. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Was the only reason you went out with me because you felt sorry for me?" she inquired, a frown tugging at her lips but not getting very far.

"Nina–"

"No, Fabian. We're done. I'm done with you, I'm done with dancing, and I'm done with pretending for everybody else." She walked into the cellar, slamming the door before I could anything about it.

I saw Amber at the top of the stairs. "Amber, wait," I pleaded. She swiftly turned away and headed for her room. I followed her quickly. "Amber, why is Nina acting like this?" I asked, standing in the doorframe to stop it from closing in my face.

Amber gave me the same hard look Nina had. "How could you do that, Fabian?" she snapped. I gazed at her curiously. "You finally get the girl of your dreams to forgive you, and you blow her off for Joy! That's BS!" I was startled by her outburst. "And on top of Manhattan rejecting her, too."

I realized what she meant. "Joy came into my room last night without warning. I was waiting for Nina to come so I could give her something." I shoved my hands into my pockets protectively. "Now, if you would help me, you need to get her to the competition next week. I have a plan."

**Now you know what "rejects" and "breakups" meant in the last chapter. What will Fabian's plan be, I wonder? I'll update soon, but I don't know when. 65 reviews please, okay?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sadly, this story is coming to an end. I only have two or three more chapters (including this one) and possibly an epilogue left. For now, I hope you enjoy all that I've worked at!**

**A/N: I'll probably do Nina's POV or third-person for the most part. I'll try to add in a few others, but mostly it's about Nina from now on. Will that be okay with all of you?**

Nina's POV

"Amber, why are you doing this?" I asked for the billionth time. I had one of my songs stuck in my head: _I'll Never Get Over You. _I had written it over the summer, and it reminded me slightly of _Living For the Night _that Fabian wrote.

"Stop talking!" she ordered, her tone light. "We are going to get you something nice to wear, and then we're going out for the rest of the evening."

"Amber, if you bring me to the contest, I swear I'll–"

She cut me off. "Relax. We're not going anywhere near there." I thought I saw a look of knowing on her face.

It was four o'clock when we exited the store. Amber had chosen a dark indigo dress and a black cardigan for me and a pink dress for her. I noticed we were heading _exactly _where the contest was. It was a somewhat classy event, the kind that can be considered half-formal and half-casual. I put my hair into a ponytail.

"Amber, Nina, glad you made it," Mick greeted. Mr. Rutter had put him on door duty. "Go inside."

Reluctantly, I followed Amber into the same ballroom we used for the dance. She had a tight grip on my wrist, so I didn't have much of a choice anyway. I began to relax as the competition began.

"Welcome everyone!" Mr. Rutter said into the mic. "For a new music video, my son and I have agreed to let the winner of this competition join him. He has a little surprise of his own that he would like to announce at the end." I tuned out when he started announcing the various dancers and singers. "Up next: Jessica Thornton and Joy Mercer."

They ended up getting booed off the stage. I laughed. My smile quickly faded when I saw Fabian take his father's place once Malena, the last dancer, finished. I could guess what would happen now.

No one's POV

Fabian and Nina locked eyes, pleading in one gaze and anger in the other. She turned away and walked outside. He stopped in the middle of his new song to call her on stage with him, but she was already gone. The audience searched for Nina on Fabian's word.

"I found her!" called Amber.

He walked over to her, the contest going into a brief intermission. "Care to dance?" he asked in the same tone he used at the ball.

"Not with you," she declined. "I said I was done dancing."

"Please," he whispered, taking her hand. "I can't do this without you." She pulled away, anger sparking inside her again. "Nina."

Somehow Fabian got her onstage with him. A dance battle played out between them. _Hurry Up and Save Me _was in the background. Nina quickly had the upper hand. Fabian stood by, watching, as she danced. His plan was working out the way he wanted it to. Unknown to everyone but him, the audition correspondent from Manhattan was there.

Finally, Nina agreed to partner dance with him. Fabian's newest song (not _Living for the Night _any more) began to play. Fabian sang to it, and Nina joined him in the last half.

"_Ever try to reach for something_

_But it's someone else's dream?_

_Every step that you take forward_

_It takes you right back where you been_

_And then when you least expect it_

_And you've tried about everything_

_Somebody hears your opinions_

_Somebody cares what you see_

_You woke me up_

_No longer tired_

_With you I feel inspired_

_You help me find my fire_

_You're the new classic_

_You're the new PYT_

_Stands for paid, young, and _

_Taking on the world from the driver's seat_

_You look so classic, fantastic_

_When you're on that floor_

_Bring back the beat once more_

_Let me see you do that_

_Oh trying to do it right_

_No rehearsals_

_It's your life_

_If you're doing this crazy dance_

'_Cause you're making these crazy plans_

_It's just this is not a test_

_You put in work to be the best_

_It's a classic take_

_On a brand new game_

_Before the needle drops_

_They're gonna know your name_

_When it get old don't lose the light_

_You're cold, I'll warm you up_

_Your fire is hot enough, enough, enough_

_You're the new classic_

_You're the new PYT_

_Stands for paid, young, and_

_Taking on the world from the driver's seat_

_You look so classic, fantastic_

_Oh when you're on the floor_

_Bring the beat back once more_

_Let me see you do that_

_(Nina) It's become so hard_

_For me to be surprised_

_You're bringing back the real me_

_No judgment in your eyes_

'_Cause when I dance with you_

_It's when I speak the truth_

_Just classic when we met_

_Now you make me new_

_(Both) You're the new classic_

_You're the new PYT_

_Stands for paid, young, and_

_Taking on the world from the driver's seat_

_You look so classic, fantastic_

_When you're on that floor_

_Bring the beat back once more_

_Let me see you do that."_

They both repeated the chorus. At the very end, they were close enough to kiss, but of course they didn't. Nina looked away and met Jess' furious gaze. She walked off the stage.

Fabian stared after her in confusion. The audition correspondent was writing something on her clipboard. "We'll announce the winner in a minute," he said to the crowd. Then he walked off to find Nina.

**Does **_**romance**_** sound familiar to anybody? *indescribable grin* I hope you liked this chapter. **

**Let's hit 70 reviews please, ladies-n-gents!**

**I forgot to do the disclaimer. I don't own HOA, ACS, or any of the songs mentioned on here.**


	11. Chapter 11

**TICKLES3000, why'd you have to say there was a kiss? JK, I'm not mad at you. I'm sure everybody knew it would happen eventually… right? Well, if you didn't, now you do! ;)**

**Once again, I own nothing.**

Nina's POV

I heard Fabian calling me. I just stood there in the back garden, confused and upset. I was sure there was nothing between him and Jess, but I didn't truly know about Joy. Rumors could have been just that… or they could have been true. I let him turn me around to face him, still keeping my arms folded over my chest.

"Nina, there's nothing between me and those girls. I swear."

When he lifted my chin, I melted in his dark gaze. But I held my ground. "How can I believe you?" I asked weakly.

"I know you really want to trust me. If you come inside, I can prove it even more." He brushed away the tear that fell from my eye. "Please?"

Smiling slightly, I followed. I already trusted him, and he knew it. Fabian took the envelope with the winner inside from the judges' panel. I waited off stage for him.

Mr. Rutter announced who it was. "The winner is Nina Martin!"

Everyone cheered. My housemates were the loudest, yelling how they knew it would be me. Amber gave a thumbs-up to Fabian. I figured this was all his idea. A proud smile crossed my face. I joined them onstage; Mr. Rutter shook my hand while Fabian hugged me.

Joy came up to me. "Hey, you were actually good." With that, she speed-walked away. Malena followed to comfort her.

Then Jess appeared. Fabian's grip tightened around my waist. I glanced at him. "It is so embarrassing to have your little cousin beat you out in a dance contest and steal your boyfriend!" she exclaimed. In her disgusted haste to get away from us, she fell off the stage. Poor Jess – but she did have it coming.

"When Fabian Rutter called telling me you were fit to dance, I was so shocked I needed to come here for myself." I recognized the audition correspondent from Manhattan. "You've got the full scholarship."

My jaw dropped. "Wait, fit to dance?" I echoed.

"Your cousin, Jessica, told me you had two broken legs and laryngitis, so you were not allowed to dance or sing until you healed in six months. By then we would've had the scholarship filled, but Fabian here talked me into coming." She handed me an envelope that I guessed had the details inside. Then she walked away.

I turned back to Fabian. A tiny knowing grin replaced my somewhat big smile. He grinned back and leaned in. We kissed, breaking away just like we did at prom after a few seconds. Our housemates, the only ones left besides the judges, let out several more cheers. I ignored them completely. Fabian rolled his eyes, ignoring them as well.

At the end of the year!

"Aw, you're leaving already?" Amber whined.

I looked at her curiously. "Amber, I've been with you all year. I need a month with my American friends before I go to Manhattan."

"You were always down in that dreary cellar," she complained.

"And you were down there with me!" I flashed back playfully.

She made a face, handing me my last bag. "I added a few things I thought you might need," she told me.

_So there's the reason why you helped, _I thought as realization dawned. I smiled at her and put my luggage in the trunk of Fabian's newest addition – a limo. Since I insisted on doing it myself, Fabian let the chauffeur take a break inside Isis House.

"Ready?" he asked, coming up behind me.

Before we got into the backseat, Jess came out of the house. She still had her injuries from several months ago: two broken legs. I laughed at the irony like I always do. "Please don't go!" she begged. "I need you. You're a better assistant than Malena or Joy."

"If I do recall, Jess, Malena has long since ditched you. Don't even get me started on Joy."

Trudy came out and wheeled Jess back inside. Amber followed them, waving before she closed the door behind her. I sat down beside Fabian and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Manhattan Academy of Performing Arts," he mumbled. "Remind me why I'm going again?"

"To be with me," I whispered back, kissing him again.

**Somewhat of a bad ending, but don't forget that I have an epilogue! I'll get it on the story soon… maybe after 80 reviews, or just tomorrow in general. Hope you enjoyed the story so far!**


	12. Epilogue

**Sadly, this story is at its end. And therefore, the epilogue is not as long as the original chapters. I'm glad you all enjoyed reading this, and I hope you won't let it die! (That's my way of saying disappear from thoughts…) I own nothing on HOA or ACS, or any of the songs I've listed on here. For some reason, I feel like adding a somewhat weird rhyme at the beginning of this…**

_My_ POV

You may be sitting at the edge of your seats

Wondering how this story can be beat

Just read and write, that's all you do

To make your story dreams come true

No one tale is better than the rest

If you put your writing skills to the test

So read this log, and then you're done.

I might add, writing this story was quite fun.

No one's POV (two to three years later)

Alfie Lewis had gone into producing movies. He and his best friend Jerome Clark were actually quite good in the studio.

Mara Jaffrey was a professor at a university just outside of London. She was strict when she needed to be, but mostly she was friendly toward her pupils.

Mick Campbell had been accepted for England's Olympic football/soccer team. He brought home a silver medal for his country.

Patricia Williamson opened her own store with some persuasion of her former housemates. It was soon moved into the US, Canada, France, and Italy.

Aaron Fresia became one of the top police officers in England. He even received an award from the queen!

Jessica Thornton moved on to be a room keeper at a five-star hotel. She never does mind because it has those five stars.

Joy Mercer was no better than her friend. She found a job as a minimum-wage waitress in the hotel's restaurant.

Malena O'Leary became a major investor in many businesses, including her friends' companies.

Brandon Jiome moved to the States. He became a Senator for Oregon. He might propose to his girlfriend Patricia.

Amber Millington was a world-renowned fashion designer. She had deals with a few record companies to make outfits for their bands.

Fabian Rutter inherited his father's record company. Unfortunately, his father died of an unknown cause. He added more number-ones to the charts.

Last but certainly not least, Nina Martin moved on to be the choreographer for many bands. She wrote songs with Fabian. She helped Amber with designs. And she will soon become Nina Rutter!

**Thanks again for reading this. There might not be a sequel. For those of you readers who have read "House of Artemis," I have decided to do a sequel for that. It almost ties in with this because of the record company and (spoiler) Nina Rutter. I hope those of you who haven't will check out my other story. I loved writing this for all of you, and I'll be on the lookout for your stories if I haven't read them already! Ta-ta.**


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